User Reviews

As somebody who has criticized many badly made American gay movies, I must blushingly admit that Australia has now joined the ranks of the incompetent in his field.

The premise of Tan Lines is good, if familiar, and the two boy lovers, played by Jack Baxter and Daniel O'Leary, are effective. In fact, Baxter is perfectly cast as the lovely, attractive teenager and is a reasonable actor. O'Leary is almost as good as the troubled older boy, Cass. Their love scenes are the best things in the film. In fact, without Jack Baxter the film would be a complete waste of time. You really do want him to get his man. Apart from a few good jokes, the rest is appalling. The acting rarely rises above that of a third rate amateur theatrical group.

The director Ed, continually misjudges the film's pace, relying on long shots of the surf when he should have left most of it on the cutting room floor and lifted the pace of the film. He mis-casts the brothers Cass and Dan, so that the ineptly acted younger brother Dan is 16 and looks about 23, whilst his older gay brother Cass looks about 20.

The opening shot, that of Jack Baxter asleep with his headphones on, goes on and on and on. Why? Surely it can't be so that we can have the joyous experience of listening to the crappy rock music that boys of his type seem addicted to? There are some interesting and quirky moments which in a better film would have been effective. The fact that the boy sleeps with his abandoned mother, clearly in very difficult circumstances, emphasizes the shallow life that many in the film lead. (In a nice touch we never see her, only her sleeping body buried under bedclothes.) The loony aunt of the boy's putative girlfriend (easily the most dreadful piece of acting I can recall) lives a large house almost empty of furniture. What goes on there is bizarre, and again, could have been delicious in a better film.

Sadly, Tan Lines is just a badly made, badly scripted, badly acted and overlong film. I can almost guarantee that apart from Christian Willis as the teacher, none of the cast is professional and boy does it show. The last thing this film is is a gem, or anything else of substance.

I saw this last week at a gay and lesbian film festival, and quite liked it. It wasn't what I expected at all. I thought we'd have adorable blonde surfers caressed by the bright Australian sun during carefully timed outdoor shoots. The guys are cute, but mainly because they're young and do something physical -- they're not preposterously cute. They're a bit ... well, not vacuous, but limited in their interests. There's no indication that anybody willingly opens a book. The town they live in may have a beach and waves but it's a dreary little backwater where money is hard to come by and people fall into sex situations for lack of much else to do. The kids may be inexperienced and untutored but they're not particularly innocent, and the adults don't seem to be much different from the kids -- just various degrees of Older.

The director seems unsure how to go about making a conventional film properly, so he gropes, and ends up making the movie very interestingly. There are establishing shots we don't need, of things that aren't important. And somehow the arbitrariness of that echoes the characters' ennui and drift and cluelessness.

The young people are nice enough, and they have real feelings for one another, but their imaginations are so limited that life seems like a choice between (a.) sticking around and doing some kind of poorly paid labor or (b.) going out and seeing the world -- subsisting on various kinds of poorly paid labor. The first place that comes to mind is always Paris, France, and somebody always points out that there are no waves there. Cass, who has traveled the globe, has no stories of doing anything but working in supermarkets. He paints no pictures of his experience. The main advantage the larger world seems to have is that his parents aren't in it, and it's away from this nothing town.

The hero Midget (Jack Baxter) is sweet and pretty born loser who shares (platonically and by necessity) a small bed with his slutty mother (we never see her awake, and we only see the back of her head or an occasional hand). He's illegitimate and doesn't know who his dad is, and his big escape is smoking grass and/or putting on sound-blocking headphones and blissing out on rock music. (There's a great scene of a teen party where everybody is dancing to different music through the earbuds of his individual IPOD.) Back from a lengthy exile comes his best friend's runaway brother Cass -- who has fled the shame of being exposed in a homosexual affair with the 30ish local geometry teacher. Knowing that Cass swings that way, and having apparently been attracted to him for years anyway, Midget initiates a secretive affair.

The movie indulges itself in a few kinds of welcome whimsy -- Midget's secret summer job is pretty kinky, and Catholic Cass's bedroom photo of John Paul II, and his various kitschy holy pictures and statues, carry on an animated conversation in (subtitled) Italian, with some holy figures criticizing the libidinous boys and others defending them. This isn't the ubiquitous gay coming of age picture. It's really quite charmingly different, and even its crudities (like the trouble they have racking shots) seem to add to its charm. The sky always seems to be overcast, even on surfing days, and the whole gray atmosphere is all too real and familiar. It would probably be familiar even to a lot of 17 year olds in Paris.

It would be difficult to imagine a worse plot, crummier script, sloppier direction or more lack-lustre acting (but I don't blame the actors).

Tan Lines pushes the envelope only in terms of what a viewer is willing to put up with in an effort to support queer cinema.

There's some very careless film-work e.g. with the reflection of camera crew in clear view in one indoor night shot.

No budget is so small that it would excuse what we see here as the final edit.

The technical quality of the DVD is particularly low - but I'm guessing it is as good as it would ever get.

The storyline is pure farce mixed with a liberal dash of the absurd. The intention is supposedly to tell a gay teen surfer's coming of age story, but the characters are simply not believable - and they're all terminally morose. This film has far too much teen angst and far too little heart.

Only "Crazy Richard" gives "Tan Lines" a run for its money as the all time worst Australian film.

With a taste of Larry Clark's teen angst and desperation but without the moral emptiness of Clark's "kids", the teens in this Aussie film do care for each other and for the most part "do the right thing." The surreal scenes: a geriatric drunken game of strip poker, a chorus of Christian wall images occasionally commenting on the action, a Gothic setting where the "hero" Midget "works" (too bizarre to describe and ruin it for you), all these make it interesting. That Midget is struggling (but not too much) with working out his gay desires along with a try for a girl doesn't compete with the dreariness of every day life and the hope to leave this dismal town.

If a modest goal is to make the viewer care about the people and the plot, this movie achieved that goal and more. The photography was effective with snappy cuts from one scene to another.

"All I want from this life is a little space. That's all I want."

Those who say this film lacks heart clearly have never found themselves aware of the doldrums of everyday life. Or they simply lack a keen eye for subtlety. One of the things I love most about this film is its utter lack of a compositional score. There is no music safe for the songs we hear, quite lifelessly from Midget's headphones. In fact, lifeless is a marvelous word to describe this film because in its lack of heart, lies the terrible melancholy and truth of nothingness. It's about people trying to find something from nothing. It seems like a trite notion, and one which many independent filmmakers have tackled with little success, because of their indulgence and incessant naval-gazing. But here, "Tan Lines" writer and director, Ed Aldrige, has concocted a deliberately (and perfectly) paced art film about a community in a listless Oceanside town in Australia.

At first, the acting seems stiff. But then it becomes clearer that the characters' words are but sounds coming out of their mouths, with little meaning or punch behind them. They talk for the sake of talking. They try to express themselves, but only wind up exchanging banalities without really finding the motivation to say anything that matters to them. The acting is then perfectly synched with the tone of film which is listless. And wonderfully so.

It won't be everybody's cup of tea. People who love sweeping climaxes and funny gags to get them through a film would do well to look elsewhere. But for those who appreciate well made small films with an intention to entice and provoke feeling and thought, may find something to chew on from "Tan Lines". Not to mention, the film is beautifully shot. It's very static and coloured quite dryly, like the sun had made all of the colours fade.

In terms of the plot, it is quite bare, but rich with the nuances in the everyday life of this group of young surfers. Aldrige never spoon feeds you information or character motivations, yet his film never comes off as lazy or un-focused. It is a gift to watch a film wherein a filmmaker trusts his audience enough not to explain every single act that is being committed, but instead finds a way to keep the story moving along while making us believe every single character we see on screen. There is also a nice reference to Ms. Havisham from Dickens' "Great Expectations" in one of the characters, though that is my own interpretation. Again, a wonderful instance where a strange character is never explained, but merely meant to make you ponder after the film has ended. That is what I look for in films. I prefer to be left thinking once the credits roll. I know some moviegoers prefer simply to leave the theater feeling good, but for a more satisfying experience at the cinema, I do recommend well made small films like "Tan Lines" which leave mysteries up for the viewer to decide on. That is the beauty of art.

I'm sorry if I sound pretentious. There have been terribly negative reviews of this film, so take this as my counter argument, instead of a simple review.

Anyone who thinks this is a good film has obviously never seen a decent gay coming-of-age film. The acting and camera work are akin to a no-budget high school film, there are several characters that exist solely as a one line joke that isn't even funny, and the plot boarders on confusing with the main characters motivation jumping from 'love' to 'lust' from scene to seen.

The least negative thing I can say about it is that the sex scenes were reasonably well shot, but that doesn't give you much else to look forward to for the other 90 minutes.

Casting eyecandy does not excuse sloppy acting.

This film knocked my socks off! The eroticism is one for the books - unlike anything I have ever seen in a film. Kudos to the director who understands that being subtle is much more interesting than blatant sex. Everything about the film is first rate. The two leads are knock-out hunks and when they get together, brother look out - your glasses will be steaming as mine were. In its own way, however, the film breaks very new ground by meandering from one surreal scene to another so that you never know where it's going and this is a good thing, because the erotic scenes pop up so unexpectedly that you can hardly catch your breath. The photography is spellbinding, some shots looking like paintings they are so abstract. But more than anything else it's the naturalness of the acting that grabs you so that before you know it you are caught up in the story like nothing else.

If you wonder how one might find a fresh perspective on the old issues of coming-of-age and coming out, then check out this smart quirky movie, set in a small-town surfing community. The main characters are a self-questioning protagonist, and two brothers who are his surfing buddies. The older brother is a confident but alienated gay man who returns to his family after being driven away some years before following an affair with his high school teacher. The movie takes a number of surprising turns, and the relationships are complex and ambiguous (especially the relationship between the brothers, and the relationship between the older brother and his teacher). One Net-blurb inaccurately describes this movie as a "charming romp." Parts of it are quite funny, but it's a serious look at the stresses of a gay adolescence. The geeky-charming young protagonist, Midget, learns how to be callous, and to face disappointment, even as he learns about love and sex. Don't expect a romantic fade-out. The next-to-last scene has a brief, silent shot that provides a thought-provoking plot twist. The young cast were largely non-professional actors and they are fresh, fun, believable, sexy, and blessedly un-Hollywood in appearance. If you see this movie and like it, do not miss the terrific director commentary. The director is articulate, very smart about both movies and life, and funny. It's one of the best commentaries I've heard in some time.

It seems everyone in the movie is attempting to escape from where and who they are. Some actually leave. Some escape through fantasy, others with drugs or drink, still others by taking a holiday at the lake. The mother of the central character, Midget, seems to spend the entire movie escaping life through sleep, covered with a blanket and only reaching out for cash that Midget leaves for her next to the bed … a bed that he and his mother share. Even the money Midget provides his mother is "earned" from an old lady who escapes from her reality by watching Midget and her niece acting out a sexual charade.

Midget, who seems to be one of the few genuinely lovable, essentially "normal" people in the movie, keeps trying to figure out who he really is and what he really wants. Sadly he seems to be continually used and rejected by everyone … gay friends, straight friends, older people, young people, his mother.In the end Midget abandons his quest for love, gives up his hope of escape from his hopeless environment and attempts to resolve his loneliness in the only way left open to him.

You really have to love Midget. It's quite sad that love is in such short supply in his life.

I thought I had seen more than enough gay coming of age stories. Some told well, others not so well. It's a genre that is unbeatable: pretty young thing figures out who he or she is.

TAN LINES is a gay coming of age tale but it is amazingly up to date.

This movie is a wonderful surprise---a small gem, really. The photograph on the DVD and the title are actually misleading. The actor on the cover is not the lead, though he is good.

The standout performance in TAN LINES is the by the actor playing the main character. Jack Baxter is absolutely sensational as a smart and mouthy youth coming of age. He is attracted to other boys but also lets himself be distracted by females.

The Australian director of this movie has done a gorgeous job of creating a totally believable world of young slacker/surfers. This screenplay for TAN LINES is smart, funny, sexy, interesting and compelling.

Bravo to all involved, especially Jack Baxter!

A contemporary masterpiece of the Arthouse genre, featuring impressive performances by adolescent lead actors and a more mature supporting one (Christian Willis). Atmosphere and emotion without neglecting the plot. The incorporation of elderly amateur actors and surreal elements doesn't really fit in, but could be explained as an exercise in style, done by the director to make his long-film debut more diverse. - Absolute recommendation for all gay and straight audiences interested in coming-out related stories, and that - in my opinion - from the age of 12, unlike the actual certifications.

I'm not sure why people rated this film so poorly. I enjoyed it a great deal. It all depends on the main reason why one watches a film, I guess.

To me, the most important thing is the characters. Are they interesting? Would I like to spend the next 90 minutes to 2 hours with them? Do I care what happens to them? In the case of "Tan Lines" the answer is "yes".

Some reviewers find that there is no plot. Well that's pretty much how real life is. And this is a slice of real life.

The fact that the actors are not professional ones helps the film to be believable. They are all excellent, and I can't imagine why we have not seen them in anything else. Jack Baxter is especially good, depicting the uncertainty of a 16 year-old, which he was at the time. He is also very cute, which doesn't hurt. :-)

Director Ed Aldridge shot a fine film and should be congratulated. I also enjoyed his commentary tremendously. He is informative and funny, which is great considering that many commentaries are neither.

Bottom line: if you need a super plot and huge special effects, other films will suit you better. If you want to relive your teenage years with believable characters played by good actors, you will spend a nice 109 minutes!